Iran Launches a Missile and a Presidential Race Iran schießt eine Rakete ab und liefert sich ein Rennen um die Präsidentschaft Το Ιράν εκτοξεύει έναν πύραυλο και μια προεδρική κούρσα Irán lanza un misil y una carrera presidencial L'Iran lance un missile et une course présidentielle L'Iran lancia un missile e una corsa presidenziale イランがミサイルを発射し、大統領選が始まる Iran wystrzeliwuje rakietę i wyścig prezydencki O Irão lança um míssil e uma corrida presidencial Иран запускает ракету и участвует в президентской гонке İran Bir Füze Fırlattı ve Başkanlık Yarışı Başladı Іран запустив ракету і розпочав президентські перегони 伊朗发射导弹和总统竞选 伊朗發射飛彈和總統競選

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

This week, Iran test-fired a new missile. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced the launch to a crowd in Semnan province, his birthplace and a base for missile launches.

MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD (translator): "The Sejil-2 missile, which has very advanced technology, was launched from Semnan and it landed precisely on the target." Officials say the solid-fuel rocket could reach Israel, southeastern Europe and American bases in the Middle East.

American Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Iranian missile will be able to travel up to two thousand five hundred kilometers. But because of engine problems, he says, the range right now is probably closer to two thousand kilometers. Mais en raison de problèmes de moteur, l'autonomie actuelle est probablement plus proche de deux mille kilomètres.

Wednesday's test came two days after Benjamin Netanyahu, the new Israeli prime minister, visited President Obama. It was their first meeting as leaders. Next week, the Palestinian and Egyptian presidents visit the White House.

President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu both spoke of the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran.

BARACK OBAMA: "I firmly believe it is in Iran's interest not to develop nuclear weapons, because it would trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and be profoundly destabilizing in all sorts of ways." BARACK OBAMA : "Je suis fermement convaincu qu'il est dans l'intérêt de l'Iran de ne pas développer d'armes nucléaires, car cela déclencherait une course aux armements nucléaires au Moyen-Orient et serait profondément déstabilisant à bien des égards". BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: "If Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons, it could give a nuclear umbrella to terrorists, or worse it could actually give terrorists nuclear weapons, and that would put us all in grave peril." BENJAMIN NETANYAHU : "Si l'Iran devait acquérir des armes nucléaires, il pourrait donner un parapluie nucléaire aux terroristes, ou pire, il pourrait donner des armes nucléaires aux terroristes, et cela nous mettrait tous en grand péril". Iran says its nuclear program is for energy. But the latest test only added to concerns about missiles that could one day carry nuclear weapons. Mais ce dernier essai n'a fait qu'accroître les inquiétudes concernant les missiles qui pourraient un jour transporter des armes nucléaires. Israel points out that President Ahmadinejad has said the Jewish State should be "wiped off the map." Israël rappelle que le président Ahmadinejad a déclaré que l'État juif devait être "rayé de la carte". President Obama still has to decide the future of a Bush administration plan to put a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia objects. But the United States says the system would protect Europe from a possible attack by Iran. President Obama says he is trying to reach out to the Iranians with diplomacy. Le président Obama affirme qu'il tente de tendre la main aux Iraniens par la diplomatie. But he says there must be a "clear timetable" for talks about protecting their security without threatening other people's security. Mais il estime qu'il faut un "calendrier clair" pour les discussions sur la protection de leur sécurité sans menacer celle des autres. There should be some sense by the end of the year, he says, whether or not serious progress is being made. D'ici la fin de l'année, il devrait être possible de savoir si des progrès sérieux ont été accomplis ou non.

BARACK OBAMA: "We are not going to have talks forever. We are not going to create a situation in which talks become an excuse for inaction while Iran proceeds with developing a nuclear and deploying a nuclear weapon." Nous n'allons pas créer une situation dans laquelle les pourparlers deviennent une excuse pour l'inaction alors que l'Iran poursuit le développement d'une arme nucléaire et le déploiement d'une arme nucléaire". Iran's presidential election is June twelfth. President Ahmadinejad is seeking a second term. Le président Ahmadinejad brigue un second mandat. He will face three other candidates chosen this week from more than four hundred fifty who entered the race. Il sera confronté à trois autres candidats choisis cette semaine parmi plus de quatre cent cinquante qui se sont inscrits à la course.

One of those he will face is Mir Hossein Mousavi. The former prime minister along with former parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi are both seen as reformist. Iran's Guardian Council also approved the candidacy of President Ahmadinejad and Mohsen Rezai, former head of the Revolutionary Guards. Both men are conservative.

The president's opponents have criticized his handling of the economy - inflation is high. But he has won praise at home for his support for developing satellite and rocket technology. Mais il a reçu des éloges dans son pays pour son soutien au développement de la technologie des satellites et des fusées. Iran launched its first satellite into orbit in February - the thirtieth anniversary of the Islamic revolution. L'Iran a mis en orbite son premier satellite en février, à l'occasion du trentième anniversaire de la révolution islamique.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember. Transcript of radio broadcast: 22 May 2009 Transcription de l'émission de radio : 22 mai 2009